Drug abuse is the earlier, milder form of drug or alcohol use that may or may not progress into an addiction. A person abusing drugs may suffer from legal or financial problems and face a drop in performance at school or work.
Difference Between Drug Abuse and Addiction?
There is a thin line between drug abuse and addiction. Drug abuse is the earlier, milder form of drug or alcohol use that may or may not progress into an addiction. A person abusing drugs may suffer from legal or financial problems and face a drop in performance at school or work. However, while the individual may be using the drug, there is not a dependency formed on the substance.
On the other hand, drug addiction is much more severe than drug abuse. There is one key characteristic that separates drug abuse and addiction: an inability to stop using drugs or alcohol.
The person may suffer from physical addiction where the body develops tolerance to the drug and experiences unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when the drug is stopped abruptly. In addition, there is a psychological element to addiction where the person wants to quit using but feels powerless to do so.
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